Greek olives range from sweet purple to strong, sharp greens.
With more than 143 million olive trees, Greece ranks third in the world in olive production and is a huge exporter of olive oils. A staple in Greek life for thousands of years, the olive fruit grows on more than 100 types of trees. The tastiest olives grow in Kalamata, Amphissa, Agrinio and Lianolia, where the trees are cultivated for oils and eating. The most popular of these are the Kalamata, the Thassos and the cracked green "martini" olive.
Kalamata
Kalamata olives are sweet and fruity.
Kalamata olives have a rich, fruity flavor and are dark eggplant purple in color. They are almond-shaped and measure between 1/2 an inch to an inch long. Kalamatas are usually split and marinated in wine vinegar before being packed in either olive oil or vinegar. Kalamatas make delicious tapenades, puttanesca sauce and rosemary olive bread.
Cracked Green
Tsakistes are brined with fennel and lemon.
Known as "martini olives," the cracked green olive is a strong, sharp fruit that is grown in the Amfissa area just northwest of Delphi. Called Tsakistes in Greece, they are picked early and are eaten unripe. They are hit with a stone and packed in water to remove bitterness. Transferred to a brine made from salt, cracked green olives soak for a year with wild fennel stems and lemons added for flavor. Cracked green olives are used in potato and bean salads.
Thassos
Thassos are salt-cured, wrinkled .
Thassos are wrinkled black olives cured in salt. The wrinkling comes from being dried in the sun like raisins. Rich in flavor with a chewy texture, they are often added to salads, pizzas and stews or served with cheese. Packed in olive oil with oregano, black Thassos olives are found in many areas of the Greek Isles.
Tags: black olives, cracked green, green olives, Kalamata olives, more than, strong sharp, wrinkled black